


Seen

by greettheworld



Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: Jealousy, M/M, New Year's Eve, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-10-04 05:24:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17298596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greettheworld/pseuds/greettheworld
Summary: During a New Years party at someone’s house, things got out of hand, like TJ -- who had a little too much to drink. Good thing Cyrus was there to the rescue. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem as easy as it looks.





	Seen

New Years eve. 10:45 PM. TJ was already a little too talkative, slurry and wobbly. Cyrus holds up three his fingers up knowing full well it’s not a good way to test if someone is really inebriated.

“How many am I holding up,” Cyrus asks.

“Stop waving your fingers too fast, underdog,” said TJ in the slowest, sluriest way Cyrus has ever heard.

Cyrus raised his brows and nods in disappointment and disbelief. Cyrus wasn’t moving his fingers fast, in fact, he’s not moving his fingers at all.

“Okay,” Cyrus exhaled. “You’re way too drunk, bud.”

TJ’s world was spinning so fast, he can’t help but hold on to Cyrus. His arms wrapped around Cyrus shoulder, overwhelming him. Cyrus was about to topple over TJ’s weight alone. Cyrus holds on to TJ’s weight to help him maintain balance as they walked to the living room, where they’re watching a countdown special. Cyrus lightly helped TJ sit on the couch, which he just immediately slumped over.

“I’ll be back,” he informs TJ, as he stood up and proceeded back to the kitchen.

“No, don’t leave me, underdog!” TJ said loudly as he tries to dramatically reach for Cyrus, making him almost puke. He retreats back into slumping in defeat. He notices his teammate on the other side of the couch, Aidan, who was equally drunk as him, and chatted up with him, making fun of the awkwardness on TV.

Meanwhile, Cyrus walks up to the host of the party, Sam Adler, captain of the football team, who weirdly, didn’t have the faintest smell of alcohol.

“Hi. You’re Sam, right?” Cyrus asks.

“Uhhh,” he looks at Cyrus, and politely said, “yes, I am.”

“I’m Cyrus,” he introduces. “I’m TJ’s friends and I’m here to pick him up. He’s way too drunk.” Cyrus glances at TJ, “considering he’s not supposed to be even drinking.”

“Are you sure?” Sam asks. “I think it’s dangerous for him to be walking at that condition. Not to mention that it’s snowing.”

Cyrus agrees admittedly.

“You can stay on one of the rooms upstairs, until he sobers up. It’s one of my older brother’s and he’s in college right now, so it’s free.”

“I don’t really want to overstay my welcome, I wasn’t invited in the first place,” Cyrus hesitantly answered.

“It’s cool with me, man,” Sam reaffirms. “It’s better to say in one of the rooms for a few hours than go outside tonight.” “I insist.”

 

“Okay. Thanks.”

“It’s the second room, to the left. The bathroom is through the first door, also to the left. You can just put him on the bed upstairs and go back down if you want. Grab a beer, or soda, or some snacks, if you want,” Sam offers.

“Thanks, again, and no thanks. I don’t really drink.”

Sam shrugs and smiles, while Cyrus goes to TJ.

“Hey, TJ, I’m gonna carry you upstairs. We’ll rest until you sober up, okay?”

Cyrus tried his hardest to even get TJ to stand up. Getting him upstairs, though, was more challenging. “Why are drunk people so heavy,” he asks himself. Each step felt like an olympic sport, never getting any easier. TJ wasn’t stopping in talking, either. He kept talking about the weather and the NBA, for whatever reason. Cyrus felt TJ wasn’t even exerting a lot of effort into helping himself. They’ve been by the stairs for 10 minutes, with no one passing by to help. Everybody was either talking to each other, or laughing at the TV.

As they reached the next floor, the walk to the room was considerably easier. As they were about to open the room, Cyrus sharply breathed and suddenly and unintentionally said, “I could at my own home celebrating with Andi and the others. Why am I here with you?”

Cyrus was getting irate and losing his temper.

TJ paused mid-walk, sinking in Cyrus just blurted out, then continued walking again. He sat down on the bed with Cyrus’s assistance. Cyrus also helped in removing his shoes. Both of them not saying a word to each other.

Cyrus was insisting in TJ to lye down by gently tucking him in, but TJ would oblige. Suddenly…

“Just go home, Cyrus.” TJ said. “I don’t need your help.”

“What?” Cyrus got angry and his face reddened. TJ’s statement made Cyrus snap. “What did you say?”

“I said go home!” TJ shouted the loudest he can.

“How fu-” he stopped. “How dare you?” Cyrus said as he’s getting teary-eyed. “I AM JUST TRYING TO HELP YOU, JERK!” He wiped his eyes before tears started to drop. “I am so sorry for being a friend!”

“First of all, nobody asked you to go here,” TJ said as he stands up. “I can handle myself!”

“Clearly not! Look at you! Fourteen year-olds shouldn’t even be drinking!”

“What’s with the freaking lectures? Why the hell do you care so much?!” he said as he moves closer to Cyrus. “huh?” TJ sloppily pushes Cyrus.

“Because I’m worried! Because I want to be a good friend! Because you’re freaking miserable!” Cyrus answered, then pushes TJ in retaliation. In his drunken stupor, though, TJ’s balance was nonexistent, making him trip back to bed.

The sudden fall made TJ all the more squeamish. The hurling feeling made him clench his stomach. Nothing in his life made him want to puke more than now. Cyrus had a feeling what will happen and hurried to look for something helpful. He notices a small, empty trash bin beside a desk. He grabbed it and held it in front of TJ. TJ hugged it with one arm and pushed Cyrus again with the other.

“What the he-,” Cyrus, annoyed, said.

Before even finishing, TJ started hurling on the bin. Angrily, hastily and on the verge of tears again, Cyrus went downstairs and grabbed a tall glass of water for him. When he came back, he placed the glass on the nightstand, and sat beside TJ. With one hand, he help hold the trash can. With the other, he pat and rubbed TJ’s back, despite the former’s constant protest. For a few miserable minutes, TJ face was almost buried and the gut-wrenching sounds unnerved Cyrus.

After TJ calmed down, he pointed towards the glass of water while grabbing the bin. He brought it to the bathroom to clean it thoroughly. He went back to the bedroom afterwards and noticed TJ sitting still, staring afar. He also noticed that the glass of water is still full, which means TJ hasn’t even touched it.

Annoyed, Cyrus grabbed the glass of water and stood in front of TJ. “Drink it,” he commanded.

TJ just stared at him, indifferent.

“Again,” Cyrus started to close his eyes, “drink it.”

TJ was still motionless. Cyrus was ever-persistent. None of them was budging.

Suddenly, TJ breaks, “You know you’re so meddlesome. You know, I overheard something the other day.”

“What?” Cyrus asks as he loses more patience.

“Answer me truthfully. Is it true that you like Jonah?”

“Liked. Y-Yes,” Cyrus answered meekly and nervously.

“Oh my God!” TJ started laughing obnoxiously. He then abruptly stopped and said, “I’m actually scared to get help from you now. Jeez.”

Cyrus clenched his fist and groaned. He started hyperventilating and on the verge of crying. “Okay. I’m sorry for wanting to help,” he said as he briskly walked out, slamming the door. He left the house, and hurried his way back home.

-

2nd of January, 2019. 2:00 PM. In the park, TJ was violently going forward and back on the swing. His mind is overloading about everything that happened on New Years eve. From the start of the drinking until his fight with Cyrus. It’s a series of awful decisions, stacking on top each other. TJ agrees with himself that Cyrus has every right to get angry at him, for everything he did.

Now, TJ’s plan was to apologize to Cyrus and regardless of what he does, he won’t stop until Cyrus acknowledges him. He walked ever-slowly to Cyrus’s home, hoping he’s there.

He stood in front of the door. He took a deep breath, then knocked the door.

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

“For a moment,” a man’s voice inside the house can be heard. A minute later, someone opened the door. It was Norman, Cyrus’s dad.

“Hi, Mr. Goodman,” TJ greeted. “Is Cyrus home?”

“Yes, but I don’t think he’s in a mood to talk to anyone lately. He won’t even let Andi and Buffy go to his room.”

“Oh, okay,” TJ said as he looked down. “I won’t bother him more. Can you give him these instead, please?” He handed Norman a small gift box with a ribbon on top. “Thank you.”

TJ left and Norman closed the door. For the rest of the day, he just laid down on his bed, staring at his phone. He looked at his messages with Cyrus. 

Cyrus: Where are you now? :)

Cyrus: You’re still welcome to come over, if you want!

Cyrus: Buffy and the others are here, too.

TJ replied picture of him during the party, holding a bottle of beer, with a caption, “I’m at Sam Adler’s house.”

Cyrus: TJ!!!

Cyrus: You shouldn’t be doing that.

The message was sent at 8:19 PM. At 10:00 PM, another text from Cyrus arrived.

Cyrus: TJ, please. I’m scared for you.

Cyrus: I’m coming over.

TJ started typing a new message, hoping Cyrus would be able to read it.

TJ: Hey, Cyrus. I’m sorry about the things I said the following night. I’m sorry for taking things too far. I was being very, very stupid. You’re a really good friend. Really. You can like Jonah and there’s nothing wrong with that. The only thing wrong that night was me. You have every right to be angry. I’m sorry.

He hit send.

He continued staring at the screen. Minutes gone by, then suddenly, “Seen 8:32 PM.” He waited an entire hour hoping Cyrus would reply, to no avail.

He decided to text Cyrus again.

TJ: Cyrus, I brought you a muffin as a sorry gift. I also saw that card and the puppy reminds me so much of you. :)

TJ referred to the boxed gift he handed to Norman. The box contained a Cinnamon-Apple Muffin, bought from TJ’s favorite bakeshop, and a sorry greeting card with a picture of a puppy on the front.

“Seen 8:40 PM.”

3rd of January. 2019, 2:00 PM. TJ did the same thing again. He knocked on the door, but this time it was Cyrus’s step-mom, Sharon.

“Hi,” he greeted. “Is Cyrus home?”

“He’s in his room, but last I checked, he’s asleep. Cyrus has been a bit down lately. He kept himself in his room these past few days. I’ll try to get him to go down.”

“Oh, you don’t have to!” he said panickingly. “I don’t really want to bother him,” TJ insisted. “Can you just give this to him?” He handed Sharon the similarly styled box as yesterday.

“What’s this for?” Sharon curiously asked.

“It’s a sorry gift for Cyrus,” he said as he rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact. “I said some awful stuff to him a few days ago and I just want to say sorry.”

“That’s thoughtful of you,” Sharon commended. “I’ll bring it to him and tell him you came by, okay?”

“That would be great. Thank you.”

Later that night, TJ texted Cyrus again.

TJ: Hey underdog.

TJ: I hope you liked blueberry muffin this time. :)

“Seen 8:19 PM.”

On Saturday and Sunday, TJ asked both Andi and Buffy, separately, if they could give the boxes to Cyrus. Both of them were wondering why Cyrus was acting like that since he came home after leaving on New Years eve. Apparently, Cyrus never told them anything.

“It’s entirely my fault. I’ve said some very horrible stuff to him and I just want to apologize. It’s just I’m scared to see him in person,” he said to both of them when they asked. “Can you give this to him? Thank you.”

In boxes had chocolate & banana muffin and blueberry macadamia muffin, respectively. For all those boxes, it also has a sorry greeting card in it. On evening, he would text Cyrus asking him how he likes them. As always though, it was just always seen.

7th of January, 2019. 7:50 AM. As TJ was pacing the hallway, he saw Cyrus, alone, by his lockers. Cyrus looked passive and lackadaisical. TJ decided to man up and talk to him. Every second he stood still, his heartbeat went faster and faster. When he gathered enough courage, he walked towards him.

Smiling, TJ greeted, “Hey, u-underdog.”

Cyrus didn’t respond. He just kept fixing his locker, as if there’s anything to organize.

“Sorry about everything I said last week,” he started. “Everything was my fault. Everything I did -- everything I said, was stupid.”

TJ took out from his bag another box. “Here. Take this. It’s the last one, I promise,” he said. Cyrus looked at it, and to TJ, who just smiled. He shakes his head and decided to just leave. As he was about to slam his locker shut, TJ caught it by his hands, causing him to wince in pain, getting Cyrus’ attention. After shaking his hand to relieve the pain, he gently places the box on the locker, then gently close the locker himself.

“It’s your favorite,” he pauses, then corrected himself, “I mean, I assume its your favorite,” then he just smiled.

Cyrus just shook his head and left the conversation to go to class. TJ sighed in dismay and went on his way. The whole day went by with TJ hoping he can talk to Cyrus after class. When the two of them are on the same class, they would usually sit beside each other, but this time, Cyrus avoided him like he’s the plague. “Maybe I am,” he thought.

3:10 PM. Cyrus sat alone in his thinking place -- the swingset. He tried to swing bad thoughts out his head, though unsuccessfully. He kept thinking what he did for TJ to talk to him that way. Then it dawned on him. TJ knew his feelings for Jonah. His mind went from one bad thought to the other, going ever-deeper in the rabbit hole. He physically paused, then had the sudden urge to cry, the same as the last few days. He covered his eyes with his hands and tried to muffle his voice, but he can’t stop it. Fortunately, no one was near enough to hear him.

Moments later, he hears someone running towards him. He looked at who it was -- it was TJ. He ran up to him, kneeling down in front. Panickingly, but carefully, TJ wiped Cyrus’s eyes, to his rejection. Despite how Cyrus kept leaning, and trying to avoid him, TJ won’t give up. “Stop it,” Cyrus cries. “Go away!”

Cyrus covered his face with his palms again, still crying. TJ grabbed his hands, making him lay it in his lap. “Cyrus…”

TJ stood up. Without missing a beat, he reached out to hug Cyrus. Cyrus’s face is now buried on TJ’s shoulders. His hoodie now catches the tears coming out. TJ’s arms was wrapped around Cyrus. TJ’s cheeks rested on the Cyrus’s head.

“I’m sorry, Cyrus. I’m really sorry.”

“You think it’s that easy, huh?”

“It’s fine if you don’t forgive me,” TJ comforts Cyrus. “I’ll leave if you stop crying.”

TJ let go of hugging. His hands slowly move to Cyrus’s cheeks, making him look towards TJ. He rested his forehead and nose onto Cyrus’s own, rubbing them together. Cyrus slowly calms down, eventually doing the same. Both of them paused for a moment. Cyrus slowly started pulling away from TJ.

Suddenly, TJ pulled in closer. He felt Cyrus’s soft lips touch his. The two of them closed their eyes as he caresses Cyrus’s face with his thumb.

Cyrus couldn’t feel anything but the burning of his chest and the crashing of his heart. Once they pulled away, they stared at each other. 

“I’m sorry, Cyrus. I couldn’t help it,” TJ said, scared of what Cyrus was thinking.

He knelt down in front of Cyrus again and held his hands tightly. “I like you, Cyrus.”

“What?” Cyrus asked in confusion. 

“I overheard you with Andi and Buffy talking about Jonah,” he explained. “And when I heard about your feelings for him, I-”

“I just got angry and confused, and every thing I felt got mixed up. I was jealous.”

“TJ…” Cyrus quietly called.

“When you invited me over, I never got the courage to come over and look at the two of you. So…”

“You just went to Sam’s…” Cyrus finished his sentence. TJ nodded to confirm.

“When you texted you’ll come over, I panicked. I didn’t know what to think or do, and I felt insecure. None of it is your fault,” he said as he slowly let go. He pushed himself up and wiped the sand off his pants. “I guess it’s true. I ruin even the nicest things given to me. I don’t deserve a friend like you.”

TJ ruffled Cyrus’s hair while smiling. “I won’t bother you anymore,” he promised. “I’m sorry, underdog.” He smiled and moved along, looking back at Cyrus one last time.

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr: Greettheworld  
> Insta: @stugs92


End file.
